Anything At All
by Bunnylass
Summary: Oneshot. Hunter's POV. Missing scene between the 'The Calling' and 'Changeling'. After Morgan tells Hunter she doesn't love him anymore, he has to deal with the pain of what happens from opening his heart again after so long...


_**Disclaimer: **_Sweep/Wicca belongs to the ever marvellous Cate Tiernan.

_**Rating: **_K

_**Summary: **_Hunter's POV. Missing scene between _The Calling_ and _Changeling_. After Morgan tells Hunter she doesn't love him anymore, he has to deal with the pain of what happens from opening his heart again after so long. And discover the patience to wait for Morgan to discover the truth.

_**A/N: **_Happy Easter! This is just a little something that popped into my mind last night and I had to write it down. It isn't much, but I'm knackered so it'll do. I don't know about anyone else, but it always breaks my heart when Morgan left Hunter standing there at the end of _The Calling_. So I hope you enjoy! Please review. **:)**

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_**Anything at All**_

I watched Morgan, my Muirn Beatha Dan, run down the wooden dock and away from me. Running away from _us._ The feelings I've finally come to accept and know are true. Appearing to me in the cruellest way possible. Her heavy footsteps barely carried over the wind and sounds of the lapping water beneath me. I can still feel her in my arms. Take on the pain she was aching to burst free in my hold but wouldn't. And my chest tightened with the thought of what she just said. What she didn't mean but threw at me anyway. And before I could stop myself, I called out to her. Making my voice carry across the wind, the pain clear even though I tried to hold it back.

"We make our own choices,"

And as I watched, she climbed behind the wheel of her beloved car, Das Boot and tore away. My eyes never leaving her until she was out of sight and the cold biting wind brought tears to my eyes. I refused to believe they were because of anything else. Because of the pain settling over my heart and threatening to make my knees give out beneath me. The moments I had just lived through with Morgan as fresh as if she was still standing before me, telling me she doesn't love me. Looking me in the eye and telling me so. Even though I know she's lying, that she's running away from the truth. Or the truth she perceives to be true.

Taking in a large breath, I try to stall off the emotions threatening to take hold. All this time I've kept myself closed off and guarded. Only letting my true feelings show to anyone but Alwyn and Sky. After my parents disappeared, running from the Dark Wave, and I led Linden to something I suspected he always held deep within him, I shut off completely. Keeping myself detached from situations, jobs, people other than my sister and cousin. Because I couldn't bear the thought of losing another person I care about. _Love_. But I was doomed from the start with Morgan. She tore my defences down without me realising she had.

And I didn't want to put up a fight.

I knew, from the instant I set my eyes on her that something was different with Morgan. She seemed familiar somehow. I was in tune to her emotions, movements and thoughts without trying. I was being drawn into her, captivated by the way she made me feel when around her. I couldn't get enough of her presence, her touch and her eyes. The way she was quick to talk back, questioning my motives and my thoughts. Making me question myself on more than one occasion. She made me hurt seeing her hurting. With David, and how badly she wanted for it not to be true. So did I. But seeing her so . . . torn, made my compassion show through even more.

But it was only the night before. When I laid on the study couch knowing she was only next door, tearing herself apart that I remembered where I had seen her from.

A scrying vision from far back in my past when my parents were still loving, devoted and there.

I was only young. Five at the most. And I was sitting in front of a bowl of water, staring down into so intently my eyes burned. Until finally, a vision came through. Of a girl with long brown hair and the most deep brown eyes I had ever seen. Eyes I knew I would remember for the rest of my life. And the vision jumped to a different one where I saw a woman walking through a field, turning slightly to look at me, a smile on her face and laughter in her eyes.

And it was Morgan.

My father had asked me what I was doing at the time and I told him I was scrying for my little sister. And I told him what I saw in my vision. But my father just patted me on the head, not confirming the girl in my vision to be my sister. So I wacked the bowl, making water spill from the rim. And I put the vision to the back of my mind and forgot about it. Until I saw those deep brown eyes again. Where it nagged at me until I was finally free of the restraints, accepting that I love Morgan with all my heart and soul, knowing she is my Muirn Beatha Dan.

And that thought, unleashed the memory.

Only I'm not standing behind her, watching her turn to me with a smile and laughter in her eyes. I'm standing alone, in the biting cold with tears falling down my icy cheeks adding to the ones Morgan has already shed. Tears for Morgan, for myself and for us. And the love I can't comprehend never being whole.

I pulled on the collar of my woollen coat, lifting it up high around my neck even though my scarf was fighting off the chill. I can't imagine warmth coming back to me anytime soon and I walk down the dock Morgan had run down minutes before. My footsteps slow and dragging. I climbed into my car on auto-pilot, just staring out of the windshield, my hands sitting in my lap. I knew I couldn't sit there forever, just hoping that when I snap out of it everything that has happened over the weekend, hadn't. That Morgan will still be an active person in my life when I walk into my home.

But I was only putting off the inevitable. And I started my car, pulling away from a place I refused to look back at.

xXx

I slammed my front door closed as I walked into the living room, shrugging out of my coat and throwing it across a chair as my senses tingled feeling Sky reach out to me. But I brushed off her advances. In doing so, feeling her annoyance and concern. I walked into the kitchen, finding her turning to the table with two mugs of steaming hot tea in her hand, setting one day in front of an empty chair and the other before herself as she sat. She pinned me with a dark, almost black stare, her hands tight around the mug. She didn't break my eye contact as she lifted a hand and circled it around the hot liquid.

"Sit," She said, her tone daring me to object. And I did.

"I'm not staying," I said, reaching forward across the table to pick up an apple from the bowl of fruit in the centre, ready to walk out again. "I only came for this. I have research - "

"I said, sit down Giomanach," Sky reiterated. Only this time, her tone was more shaken and it instantly made me shut-up and sit down like she said. I dropped her eyes and blindly reached out for the cup in front of me. Pulling it in and staring down at the tea. It wasn't spelled, but I know she contemplated it. "It's been a week, Hunter. What's going on with you? I know it's something to do with Morgan; she hasn't called or been around. Have you two had a fight or something? Is that what this is about? Because it's not like you to be so - "

"Morgan broke up with me," I cut in, unable to hear her say, '_It's not like you to unresolved a tiff_,'. She knows me too well and I have to keep reminding myself of that. I could feel her tense and automatically reach out to feel my senses. This time, I let her. Allowing her to feel the hurt, confusion and anger I was feeling. That had built up within me since that day on the dock. "The day we got back from New York in fact."

Athar sat back in her chair, her arms falling to her lap.

"Because of Ciaran?" She asked going straight to the reason I knew was to be true too. I just nodded and raised the hot drink to my lips. Wincing and letting the burn slither down my throat. When I lowered the cup, I raised my eyes back up to hers. "And what happened with Amyranth."

"She told me she doesn't love me anymore. Even after I told her she's my Muirn Beath Dan," I continued, feeling Sky's surprise that I had admitted that much. And I knew she was going to say something but I spoke again before she could. "I know it's not true. I know she was lying. But there wasn't anything I could say or do to make her see she is not evil or possess the darkness Ciaran does. She asked me not to call her and I'm respecting her wishes."

Sky nodded, sitting back up so her arms were leaning on the table. "But you still went and sat outside her home and watched her drive to school this morning didn't you?" She said matter of factly, raising her slim white eyebrows at me. "That's what I thought," Sky sighed and reached out to lay a hand over mine. "You're doing the right thing by giving Morgan her space, Giomanach. She's just found out her Biological father is the leader of Amyranth, it's going to have shaken her up a bit."

"I know that, Athar," I conceded. "I've been telling myself that all week. But it's hard, when all I want to do is make her see it's not true. I hate knowing she's beating herself up and questioning everything she does or has done, just because of him," I pushed my cup across the table, leaving the apple I had picked up not really wanting, alongside the cup. "But that is also something I have to deal with alone, too."

I gave her hand a squeeze and got up from the table, walking out of the kitchen with her eyes trained on me.

Because that was all I had done in the week where I haven't had Morgan around me. Tempted to pick up the phone and make her see reason. Been to her school and watched her from afar, cloaked so she wouldn't know I was. And the more I watched her, not laughing with her friends, the more the anger grew. With myself for not saying something when I got her out of the house. Anger with her for looking for something that isn't there. And pure unadultered fury with Amyranth and Ciaran for making Morgan have to face more darkness in her life Cal and Selene had already started.

I walked across the living room, picking up my coat before I stepped out the front door. The bright sun but nipping cold making me put on my coat before I walked down the steps and back to my car. Starting it up and driving away without consciously aware of where I was going. I should have been doing research for our circle the next night. I should have stayed with Sky and let her talk me round. I should have been doing a lot of things and all of them revolved around Morgan.

But she won't allow me to.

I lost count of the amount of times I've woke panting in the night, sweat coating my chest and back, lingering visions of the nightmare that had been real not too long before. Of Morgan strapped to the table and the animal masks of Amyranth circled around her. Ciaran's claws so close to tapping her mind. If he hadn't have done, neither Morgan nor I would be alive. But that is the only thing I can be thankful for towards him. Giving me the chance to get her out of there and tell her how I really feel. And the pain that would hit straight after I remember that Morgan knows has only gotten worse.

The next night I will see Morgan for the first time. Look into her eyes, feel her power and share her space. And I don't know how I will be able to handle that.

I pull into a parking space in front of Practical Magick before I realise it. Staring at the shop that has only been open for business mere minutes. The sight of the homely atmosphere that is warm, welcoming and peaceful makes me turn off the car and climb out. I hadn't been avoiding Alyce Fernbrake, I tell myself as I slam the door and make my way purposefully towards the glass door with the gold filigree spelling the shops name. I just knew I couldn't face her compassion at the time. Seeing her look of sympathy telling me what I already know. I just stand in the doorway at first. Taking in the scent of incense and the books, new and old lining the shelves. And when Alyce rounds the corner, walking up to me with open arms and a motherly expression, I try not to turn around and go back out where I came in.

"Hunter," Alyce soothingly said, pulling me down for a hug I tense at for only seconds. She took my hands when she pulled away, staring up at me with a small, compassionate smile. "Come in, dear. I've just put the kettle on. Something told me you would be coming by." She carried on, releasing my hands and walking through to the curtained off area that serves as the kitchen/staff room.

"Athar called ahead, didn't she?" I asked, no offence taken that my cousin would do such a thing. If anything, I basked in her concern, wrapping the warmth around me.

Alyce chuckled where she stood at the counter, making up two cups of tea. This time, adding herbs to it, making the scent sweet and earthy. "That she did," She confirmed, laying the spoon on the metal drainer with a clink, turning back around to set my second cup of tea before me. I gave her a smile of gratitude and dipped my head to inhale the scent. "So am I correct in saying you're here about Morgan?" She asked, watching me intently. When I furrowed my brows she answered my unasked question. "She came by sometime during the week and told me what happened. I'm so sorry, Hunter."

I let her pat my hand and withdraw it before I spoke. "Thank you. But truthfully, Alyce, I don't know why I'm here." I said, blowing on my tea before I took a tentative sip. This time without scorching my throat. Alyce sighed and I raised my eyes back to her. To the knowing smile she wore, that relaxed and settled my nerves. Help was written in her expression.

"I know why you came by," She confirmed, her motherly expression making my shoulders sag in defeat. "You need someone to tell you that everything is going to work out in the end. That you are not feeling the pain for no reason," She continued. "But you already know this, don't you?" She waited for me to incline my head slightly before she carried on. "It's understandable, dear. You and Morgan are both going through a difficult stage. Morgan in particular. Her whole world has just been tipped upside down and she's very confused and scared at the moment. Everything she thought she knew has been put into question and she doesn't know how to process it all."

"But what she does need, is your patience. After going through one upheaval after another, she doesn't see how it can possible get any worse. I'm sure you're aware she is only trying to push you away to protect you. From Ciaran and as she thinks, from herself. Even though," Alyce carried on, talking over me where I tried to protest that she has nothing to protect me from. "you and I know you can protect yourself and Morgan is not her father."

"I want to tell her all this and I want to give Morgan her space," I put in when Alyce finished and took a sip of her tea. "And the conflict is what is making it even harder. She shouldn't have to go through and carry this alone. She doesn't have to."

"I know that and so does Morgan to a certain extent," Alyce nodded, agreeing. "But we have to remember Morgan is still new to her power and the responsibilities that come along with that. So much has happened for her in such a short amount of time. She doesn't understand that the power of darkness in Ciaran is _his_ choice. Just like the power of light was Maeve's. She will discover the truth of this soon, dear. We just have to be there for her when she does."

When I put my cup down from taking a drink, Alyce leaned forward and took my hand in both of hers.

"She can't make it on her own, Hunter. She's going to need you most of all," She quietly stated, the power and strength of her words backing up her determination in her voice. "I know it hurts right now and that she won't let you close. But something tells me she will. Soon. I know you won't give up on her and so does Morgan. You're a good man, Hunter. It's what will help Morgan overcome this. I have faith in you both."

The bell rang over the door out front signalling a customer and Alyce gave my hand another pat, before she got up from the table and went to see to them. As soon as the curtain slipped back into place, I let go of my cup and dropped my head into my hands. Running a hand through my hair disrupting it even more than it already is and scrubbed a hand down my jaw. My hand brushing down my scar on my neck as it dropped to the table.

And I sat up straighter, staring across the small room at the door that Morgan had run through the day she found out she hadn't killed me. And I let a small smile shine through. Because that was the day I truly found out how deep Morgan's strength runs. Her stubbornness and innate will to be good. To follow in the right steps. And where I first started to truly fall in love with her. We had overcome that obstacle; we would overcome this one too. The hurt tells me otherwise, but my heart tells me the truth.

And I have to start to listen to that again. It's been too long since I have had it that closing it off after getting the taste and feel of what it is like to have her, is unbearable to think about. I have a Muirn Beatha Dan. My love I was destined and meant to be with. One of the lucky few to have found that. And if anything at all, it's that thought that makes me refuse to be beaten by the likes of Ciaran and any other force to try and pull us apart.

I've lost too much. I won't lose anymore.


End file.
